Things to Do in Leh

There are tourist destinations and then there is Leh in India. There are some places in the world which are on every traveller’s bucket list and Leh must be definitely one of them. The incredible place that Leh is, there is so much to explore and experience, once you’re here. Hence, if you’re still wondering what exactly should be done in Leh, then not to worry. Instead, go through this list of incredible things to do in Leh.

Visit a prominent shooting location for Indian films named Thiksey Monastery. Other popular religious shrines in Leh are Shanti Stupa, Lamayuru Monastery, Hemis Monastery and Jama Masjid. Go back in time and relive the historic times by visiting the Leh Palace Or Stok Palace. Other popular attractions in Leh are Pangong Tso Lake, Open Hand Espresso Bar And Bistro, Pangong Lake and Diskit.

Can't wait to discover Leh by yourself? Create an itinerary for Leh today! Ranked on popularity, here's the complete list of best Leh attractions and point of interests recommended by the locals.

Famous for it’s architecture and location, and also as the location for the Satrangi Re music video from the critically acclaimed movie, Dil Se, the Thiksey Monastery in the Indus valley is renowned for being the largest among all of the gomphas located in the provinces of Ladakh and Leh. Managed by the Gelighpa sect, it’s extensive arc...

150 kilometres north of Leh, where the Shyok and Siachan rivers meet, in between of Leh and the Karakoram range and the Siachen Glacier, lies Nubra Valley. Made famous by traders and travellers of the Silk Route, the valley is popular for the huge mountain faces, the many trails, the briskly flowing water of the rivers, bactrian camels and Diskit G...

Twilight is divine from this elevated spot, three miles from Leh. Whether sunrise or sunset, the changing light brings mystic beauty to the panorama of mountains surrounding the Stupa. The striking structure owes its remarkability to both; it’s isolation and its design. It was designed by a Japanese, and thus is greatly different from the ort...

A lonely, proud structure, the Leh Palace was built by King Sengge Namgyal of Tibet in the 17th century. Once, it was the world’s highest building; now it’s in abandoned disrepair. It’s nine floors, once exotically furnished and decorated are now a dark maze that you must navigate to reach the top. The upper stories were used as t...

Right outside the Air Force Base, this two-floor museum explores various themes related to Indian army’s role and presence in Ladakh. Most of it focuses on India-Pakistan conflicts in the 20th century. There are artefacts from the wars, a short film about the Kargil War, the role the army has played in various relief missions, an exhibit on e...

The Pangong Lake is an exquisite and worldwide famous closed drainage lake spread across a vast area in the Himalayas. The major portion of the lake falls in the territory of Tibet. The lake has been categorized under the protocol of the Ramsar Convention as a great wetland reserve with a recognized global importance. Consequently, the lake has att...

25 miles west of Leh is a 16th century Gurudwara built to commemorate the visit of Sikh saint and founder of the Sikh religion Guru Nakak to Ladakh. Legend says a demon attacked the saint here with a rock while he was meditating, and upon contact, the rock melted, forming a depression in the shape of the meditating mystic. The rock was discovered b...

This affluent monastery, the largest in Ladakh, has been around for almost a thousand years, and is only an hour away from Leh by road. It would at times fall into disuse, but King Sengge Namgyain restored it completely in the seventeenth century. The Bropka sects, who are thought to be some of the purest descendants of the original Indo-European s...

The Khardung La is a famous mountain pass at the junction of the valleys of the Shyok and Nubra. At a height of more than 5300 meters, the Khardung La is one of the highest pass capable of motorized transport for recreational and prioritized functions. The pass is regarded as a heritage also because of the historical caravan route connecting Leh wi...

Locals say Buddhist leader Guru Rinchen Zangpo built the monastery in the 11th century, but the monuments record Tibetan Kal-dan Shes-rab doing so in the 12th. This is not any one building but a complex of structures, of which the main ones are:
The Dukhang (Assembly and worship hall): See the frescoes of 1000 buddhas in the main passage, the pain...

A hundred and thirty kilometres from Leh, the thousand-year-old Lamayuru Monastery is a famous traditional Tibetan Gompha following Buddhism, and is situated at an altitude of 3500 meters. The land surrounding the monastery is famously known as The Moonscape, as it strikingly resembles lunar landscapes. The monastery is regarded as the first ever m...

The Dishkit is more famously known as the Dishkit Gompa or monastery, precisely situated in the Nubra valley of Leh. The sect of the Gelugpa is followed in the Tibetan monastery under the religion of Tibetan Buddhism. The founder of Dishkit was Changzem Tserab Zangpo, who was a follower of the founder of Gelugpa sect- Tsong Khapa. The interior of t...

About 5 kilometres south of Nimmoo Village is the point of confluence of the waters of two differently colored rivers - Indus and Zanskar. The waters of Zanskar are tinged blue; the Indus, green. The point is a four-hour drive by jeep from Leh. If you’re here in the summer (recommended), Zanskar will be flowing swiftly and the Indus, slowly. ...

The breathtaking Rushpu Valley cradles the wintery oasis that is Tsomoriri Saltwater Lake. Though the trip from Leh is long and arduous, the sheer majesty of the Ladakh landscape will keep you invested in the ride. Following the river, you’ll know you’re close when the water suddenly widens, delivering you into a green and clue paradise...

This most well preserved monastery in Likir village was built in 1065 by Lama Duwang Chosje, under the rule of King Lha-chen-rgyal-po. It is said that the monastery is guarded by two serpent spirits: Nanda and Taksako. It is currently home to about 120 monks of the Gelugpa or Yellow Sect of Tibetan Buddhism. It is the official seat of Ngari Rinpoch...